Sawatch
AvalancheAnonymous · Apr 3, 2022 · Sawatch
Weather
Windy and snowing with low visibility. Sun would occasionally pierce through clouds and give us a good view of our route.
Snowpack
Hard consolidated snow not breaking more than 4" down while booting up. Upon reaching the top of the ridge I found a small wind slab no more than 10" deep.
Avalanche
R1D1 avalanche that broke a few feet below the ridge in a wind slab while booting up, propogated about 60 ft total. Crown was a max of 10". Had a great surface to slide on, a smooth icy sastrugi. Roughly 12,700 ft elevation on a south southeast facing slope near the summit of buckeye peak. Knocked one skier and dog off of their feet, carried them about 10 ft and came to a stop about 50 ft from crown of slide. I was able to avoid getting knocked over by digging my crampon into the slope a few feet below the crown. Circled in the attached photo is of the area described before the avalanche happened.